How to celebrate World Coffee Day and World Book Day in Manchester

A book in one hand and a coffee in the other

If you love coffee and can’t turn down a good book then you’re in luck, because Manchester just happens to be filled with places that combine the two. Here’s some of our personal favourites.

Chapter One Books

Chapter One started as one family’s love for books, cakes, and great coffee, and is now the hotspot for all bookworms and coffee lovers around Manchester. Their warm atmosphere and friendly staff make it the perfect place to cosy up with a good book and a delicious coffee by yourself or with friends, and with opening hours until 9pm each day, you have plenty of time each day to pay them a visit. This independent bookshop and café fusion is located on Lever Street in the city centre.

Greenhouse Books

Another unique collaboration between a bookshop and café, but with a vegan twist, Greenhouse books is one of the only vegan bookshops out there. With walls filled with a diverse selection of books, magazines, and comics, and with a love for artisanal coffee, Greenhouse combines the two seamlessly and offers a homely environment for book lovers and coffee aficionados to enjoy a good read and drink. If you ever find yourself in Cheadle, make sure to check them out.

Manchester Central Library & Café

Built between 1930-1934, Manchester Central Library is more than just the city’s largest library – it has also become one of the city’s many historical landmarks, making it a must-see for tourists as well as locals. So, if you haven’t already visited, what better day to go than on World Book Day? Grab a coffee from the café on the ground floor and then make your way around the building, exploring the endless selection of books that the library has to offer, and if you find one you particularly like the look of, find a spot to sit down and get stuck in.

Didsbury Village Bookshop/ The Art of Tea Café

In the heart of Didsbury, The Art of Tea Café and the Didsbury Village Bookshop adjoin to make for the perfect tranquil setting to tuck in with a second-hand book in one hand and a specialty tea in the other (but of course, coffee is also on the menu). Plan your visit by first checking out the bookshop’s pre-loved, quirky books, before grabbing a drink in the café.

Book stores in Manchester

If coffee isn’t to your taste and you just want to spend the day exploring the city’s best bookshops, then we have got you covered too. From traditional bookshops that cover fictional and non-fictional literature, to an independent gay bookshop filled with queer literature, we’re confident that you’ll find a bookshop you’ll want to visit.

Paramount Books

A Manchester classic, Paramount Books have been open in the Northern Quarter since 1965 and little has changed since then as they have acquired a self-proclaimed ‘old fashioned’ approach. You’re likely to hear the shop before you see it, as jazz music plays from the speakers outside the shop, and upon walking in you will see a sign that asks customers to switch off their phones for the duration of their visit, so that you can fully get lost in the books. Speaking of the books, Paramount have genres to suit almost everyone’s taste, so you’re bound to find something which feels specifically made for you. The shop has remained unaltered for decades, giving it a unique but wonderful atmosphere, one that makes the shop a must-see, but we must warn you that Paramount only accept payments in cash, so come prepared.

Anywhere Out of the World

You’ll find this hidden gem up an inconspicuous staircase in the Northern Quarter, and once you’re at the top, you’ll find Anywhere Out of the World – a vintage looking bookshop which sells exclusively second-hand books, specifically philosophy and literature. The shop is also made up of highly knowledgeable staff, so if you find yourself overwhelmed by the seemingly endless choice, they will be on-hand to give you all the advice you need to walk away excited to start reading a new classic. The opening times are Wednesday – Sunday, 11 – 6pm, on the first floor of 70 Tib Street.

Chorlton bookshop

Chorlton Bookshop is everything you would expect from a traditional bookshop – a calm aura, an array of paperback and hardback books, and friendly and helpful staff. Located in the heart of Chorlton, the bookshop has been operating since 1983 but there’s nothing outdated about the way they run things! Chorlton Bookshop is active on social media, including Twitter and Instagram, they offer delivery services, and they put sustainability at the forefront of their business. For a dose of all the latest fiction and non-fiction, make sure you pay them a visit.

Queer Lit

Another Northern Quarter gem but this time it’s an award-winning independent gay bookshop – Queer Lit. What started off as an online store, selling just 700 titles, has expanded to become a one-of-a-kind bricks and mortar store now selling over 2000 titles, from hard-hitting non-fiction confronting queer politics, to children’s books which show family life in a queer light. From the beginning, Queer Lit has made it their mission to provide the LGBTQIA+ community with easy access to queer literature and to support queer writers, and to this day, they’re always on the lookout for new writers to stock in their shop.

No matter what kind of books or coffee you like, you’re sure to find some place to visit this World Book Day and World Coffee Day, and if you go to any of our suggestions, be sure to tag us on socials!